Expanding filing-pocket



A. BUSHNELL, JR.

EXPANDING FILING POCKET.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-15.1919.

1,37 3,222.; Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

4 SHEETSSHEET I.

. BUSHNELL EXPAND!NG FILING POCKET.

APPLICATION mm) NOV-15,1919- Pat/en wz Mar. 29, 1921..

4 SHEETS-SHEET A. BUSHNELL, JR.

' EXPANDING FILING POCKET.

APPLICATION FILED NOv. 15,\919.

1 #573,222. Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

A. BUSHNELL, JR.

EXPANDING FILING POCKET. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15. 1919.

Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4-- "rant praise.

EXPANDING FILING-POCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

Application filed November 15, 1919. Serial No. 338,166.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVAH BUSHNELL, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadel phia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Expanding Filing-Pockets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in filing wallets or cases, expanding envelope, paper pockets and the like, and has for its object to provide a truss for the bellows fold of such devices to prevent or reduce to a minimum the likelihood of the wall formed by the bellows fold from projecting outside of the others or its inclosing walls.

More particularly the object of the invention is to provide a truss for an inwardly foldable bottom of flexible filing devices or containers to prevent sagging thereof due to the weight of objects which it supports; and also to provide a truss for each of the end bellows folds of such a container so as to limit the outward movement of such ends.

Anotherobject of the invention is to provide an cxpansible wallet, filing case or pocket with end flaps or wings secured to one of the sides to permit expansion of the wallet or case.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a device of the character stated flexible end flaps or wings carried by a side wall and slidably registering with a chamber or pocket in the other side wall, said end flaps or wings having non-flexible ends to prevent their accidental withdrawal from the pocket or chamber.

A still further object of the invention is to stifi'en the end flaps or wings throughout the major portions of their length at their inner ends to prevent accidental withdrawal from the pocket in which they are inserted and to strengthen the upper edges of said flaps. I

With these ends in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, may understand how to make and use the same, I will describe its construction in detail, referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which Figure 1, is a fragmentary perspective view of a filing case or expanding wallet in a relatively closed position embodying my improvements, a portion of the end flap being broken away to plainly illustrate the construction.

Fig. 2, is a similar view showing it open or expanded.

Fig. 8, is a perspective view of a filing folder or simple filing case without end walls.

Fig. 4:, is a section through the truss at the line 4;4 of Fig. 2, the thickness of the walls being exaggerated.

Fig. 5, is a similar view at the line 55 of Fig. 2, above the truss.

Fig. 6, is-an inner face view on a reduced scale of the filing case opened and laid out flat,

Fig. 7, is an edge view thereof.

Fig. 8, is a fragmentary perspective view showing a modified form of the end walls in which they are of bellows form having a stiffening strip or truss superimposed thereon.

Fig. 9, is an edge view of one of the bel lows sections showing a modified arrangement for trussing or stiffening the same.

Fig. 10, is a view similar to Fig. 9 showing a further modified form of truss as applied to a bellows fold.

In carrying out my invention as here embodied, 2 and 3 represent the two sides or side walls of a filing case or wallet or similar device, the side 2 generally being the back and the side 3 the front. These sides are connected by an inwardly foldable or bellows bottom 4: having a bend or crease 5 to permit expanding and collapsing thereof.

To prevent the bottom from sagging,

dropping down or projecting below the lower edges of the sides, when supporting papers or other objects placed in the filing wallet or case and which would increase the height of the filing case, I provide a truss 6 which is securely attached to the inner face of the bottom on each side of the crease 5 but is free from the bottom in the region of the said crease. The truss is also provided with a crease 7 which overlies the creaseo but is spaced therefrom because. of

ness of material 13 of the side 3, one adjathe arrangement of the truss which is wider between the same two points. The truss is produced from the material forming a portion of one side of the filing case or from material attached only to the bottom. This truss may be left free from the bottom throughout its entire or major portion of its length yet serve tie same purpose as that just described.

The material forming the truss maybe attached in any suitable manner but as filing cases of this character are generally made of paperoid, cardboard, paper and similar materials, a suitable adhesive is usually and advantageously employed.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and i to 7 inclusive, one of the sides as 2, is provided with end flaps or wings 8, the free ends of which slidably or adjustably engage the other side 8, said side preferably being provided with a chamber or pocket 9.

The ends flaps or wings 8 are flexible throughout a portion of their length, said flexible portion being sufiicient to extend from one side to the other when the filing case is fully expanded, while the free ends which slide within the pocket are stiff and these stiffened ends should be longer than the flexible portions to prevent their accidental withdrawal from the pocket so that the major portions of said end flaps or wings are stiff.

In actual practice the side 2 which is used as the back is made of two thicknesses of material 10 and 11 between which the end flaps or wings 8 are secured while the side 3 which becomes the front is made of two thicknesses of material 12 and 13 throughe out a portion of its height only, one of said thicknesses of material extending from the:

bottom to a point intermediate the upper and lower edges of the side 3 leaving the upper portion of the side 3 of single thickness to form a flexible flap 14 which may be easily and readily bent forward for insertion of papers or other articles in the filing case. The two sheets or thicknesses of material 12 and 13 are not attached to each other for a distance equal to the height or width of the end flaps or wings so as to form the pocket 9 in which said end flaps slide.

The end flaps or wings 8 may be moved in and out of the pocket by inserting the thumbs or fingers in the open ends of the pockets, but if found desirable openings 15 may be formed in the outer sheet or thickcent each end so that the thumbs or fingers may be pressed against the end flaps or Wings to move them in either direction and this may be more readily accomplishedif the thumbs or fingers are dampened slightly. .jffhe free or sliding ends of the end flaps or Wings'8 are stiffened by attaching there to an additional sheet of thickness of material 16 which should extend throughout the major portion of their length to prevent them being accidentally withdrawn when in' use. The edges of the end flaps or wings 8, particularly the upper edges may be strengthened by folding a portion of the material upon itself along the upper edges of said end flaps as indicated by the reference numeral 17, Fig. 6. By constructing the end flaps in this manner the likelihood of their being torn in the filing case is reduced to a minimum.

constructing an expanding filing case in the manner above described it is relativelyinexpensive in the cost of manufacture as it eliminates the bellows end walls and skilled or experienced workers are not required to produce them. This construction also provides an exceedingly strong and durable filing case which cannot be expandedbeyond the limits of the flexible por tions of theend flaps or wings and provides a bottom which will not sag under the weight of the ordinary articles generally placed in such filing cases.

lVhere it is desirable the flaps or end walls may be made in the form of bellows folds as indicated at 23, Fig. 8, and these folds may be trussed in the same manner as above described in connection with the bottom of the filing case or they may be reinforced by a layer of material 24 superimposed thereon or forming a part thereof and by slightly scoring the innersurface of this superimposed material or breaking the same the effect of a butt joint is produced and therefore these ends will be prevented from being forced outward beyond the front and back walls of the container by the papers which may be filed therein.

In Fig. 9 I have shown the form of joint just described in connection with Fig. 8, while in 10 a slightly modified form of the same is shown in which two separate pieces of material are superimposed and secured upon the bellows fold 23, and the meeting ends of these strips of material are adapted to abut and thus limit the outward movement of this bellows fold. While I have shown this modified form of bellows fold as applied to the end walls of the container it is obvious they may be utilized for the bottom thereof.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction as herein shown, as thesemay be varied within the limits of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as newv and useful is and; a truss att h' q ach Side oi the crease, I

2. A filing case comprising sides, a bottom having a crease so as to fold inward, a truss attached thereto at each side of the crease, and free therefrom in the region of said crease.

3. A device of the character described comprising sides, a bottom having a crease, a truss having a crease, attached to the inner face of the bottom at each side of the crease in said bottom and free therefrom in the region of said crease, said truss being wider between its points of attachment than the bottom between the same points.

4. A filing case or wallet comprising side walls, an inwardly foldable bottom connected with said side walls, a truss on said bot tom to prevent sagging thereof, and end flaps or wings carried by one of the sides and slidably engaging the other side to permit expansion of the filing case.

5. A. filing case comprising side walls one of which. is provided with a pocket, an inwardly foldable bottom connected with said sides and a truss carried by the bottom, and end flaps or wings carried by one of the sides and slidably registering with the pocket in the other side.

6. A filing case comprising side walls one of which is provided with a pocket, an inwardly foldable bottom connected with said sides and a truss carried by the bottom, and end wings or flaps flexible throughout a portion of their length but having a nonfiexible free end, said flaps or wings carried by one of the sides and slidably registering with a pocket in the other side.

7. A filing case comprising sides one of which is provided with a pocket, an inwardly foldable bottom connected with said sides, a truss carried by said bottom to prevent sagging thereof, end flaps or wings carried by one of said sides and adjustably registering with the pocket in the other side, and means for stiffening the free ends of said end flaps or wings.

8. A filing case comprising sides one of which is provided with a pocket, an inwardly foldable bottom connected with said sides, a truss carried by said bottom to prevent sagging thereof, end. flaps or wings carried by one of said sides and adjustably registering with the pocket in theother side, and a stiffener attached to the free end of each of said end flaps and extending throughout the maj or portions of said flaps.

9. A filing case or wallet comprising sides, one of said sides having a pocket therein provided with openings communicating with said pocket, an inwardly foldable bottom connected with said side walls, a truss connected with said bottom to prevent sagging thereof, and end wings having nonfiexible free endsfcarried by one of the sides and slidably entering the ends of the pocket.

10. A filing case or wallet comprising a bask side wall formed of two thicknesses or sheets of material, end wings or flaps secured between said sheets or thicknesses of material, said end wings or flaps formed of twosheets or thicknesses of material throughout the major portions of their length adjacent theirfree ends, a front side formed of two thicknesses or sheets of material throughout a portion of its height leaving the upper end of one sheet or thickness of material, said sheets orthicknesses of material being free from each other for a distance equal to the height of the end flaps or wings to form a pocket therefor in which said end fiaps are slidably located from which accidental withdrawal is prevented by the stiff ends thereof one of the sheets or thicknesses of material having openings therein communicating with the pocket whereby the end wings may be moved in ward or outward, an inwardly foldable bottom connected with said sides, said bottom having a crease therein, and a truss attached to the inner face of said bottom in each side of the crease free from said bottom in the region of its crease, said truss being wider between the two points of attachment to the bottom, than said bottom between the sametwo points.

11. In combination with a case or wallet of the character described having bellows folds, and a truss consisting of a strip superimposed upon said bellows folds.

12. In tombination. with a wallet having bellows folds, and a truss consisting of a strip superimposed upon but unattached to said bellows folds.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

ALVAH BUSHNELL, JR. 

